Button



(No Model.)

H. B. ROBINSON.

BUTTON. No. 386,559. Patented July 24-, 1888.

WITNESSES I .dttorney.

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HORACE B. ROBINSON, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

BUTTON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 386,559, dated July 24, 1888.

Application filed September 1, 1887. Serial No. 248,509. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE B. RoBINsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at WVaterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buttons; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in buttons, and more especially to that class wherein the crown can be removed and substituted by another.

It consists in a novel construction and arrangement of the parts, whereby ease and rapidity in the transferare accomplished; and it further consists in rendering the parts rigid when placed in position.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of the bottom of the button provided with a shank. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the bottom of the button, the shank being removed. Fig. 8 is a detailed view of the shank. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the crown cut on the line X X. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the reverse side of the back of the button.

This button is especially designed for the use of railroad, municipal, and military oflicials, in whose dress upon the crown of the button is the insignia of office, which it is not desirable to wear while off duty. In the majority of cases this difficulty is obviated by the use of two suits of clothingthe one civilian, the other official-which entails double expense.

The object of this invention is primarily to overcome this difficulty; but the invention may be applied to use in ordinary buttons where it is desirable at any time to replace the crown without removing the shanks from the cloth ing, as in the case of cloth-covered buttons or buttons for cushions.

The letter A designates the crown of the button, having upon the face a design, and having either a metal or a cloth-covered face. As in the ordinary construction, the edge of the said crown is turned over the back B. The back B in this invention is provided with the longitudinal slot C, extending across the face and through the center of the same. At either end and upon opposite sides of the said slot are the depressions D, thus forming on either side of the said slot inclined planes leading under the opposite wall of the said slot. Extending from the edges of the said slot opposite the said depressions are the semicircular ridges E, which end at the rear of the said depressions D. Extending from the end of the said ridges next the said depressions D are small ridges F, extending to the center of the back B and opening into the slot C. The center of the said back B next to the ridges F is indented to form the inclined plane G, substantially as shown in drawings, Figs. 2 and 4. The back B being stamped out of thin metal commonly used for that purpose, the ridges herein described form depressions upon the reverse side, as shown in Fig. 5, and bear the same letters.

The shank H consists of a loop, the ends I of which protrude through a shield, K, and are bent away from each other, substantially as shown in drawings. The shield K is circular in form and adapted to cover the back 13, as shown, and is soldered upon the said shank, leaving a small space between it and theturned ends I. The back B being formed substantially as described and fastened to the crown A, the shank H is secured to the button in the following manner: The turned endsIareplaced in theslot C, the depressions D acting-as guides, and are turned toward the ridges F. The ends of the turned ends I fit in the depressions under the ridges E and over the inclined planes G, which at the end next the ridges F impinge upon the said turned ends, whereby when the said ends I fall into the depressions under the ridges F they are locked therein and the crown is secure upon the shank. The said crown may now be removed by holding the shank firmly and moving the crown in the opposite direction from that just described. Any style of crown may be supplied with the back B, and when so supplied can be substituted for any other style-as, for instance, a crown of 100 the style of the ordinary conductors buttons may be replaced by a clothcovered crown.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In a button such as described, the combination of a back provided with a longitudinal slot, O, a circular depression, E, depres'. sion F, and inclined planes G, and a shank provided with ashield adapted to rest against the said back, and having turned ends protruding through the said shield and adapted to rest in the said depressions E and F, substantially as described.

2. In a button such as described, the combination of a back provided with a longitudinal slot, 0, the circular depressions E, the depressions F, and the inclined planes G, and a shank, H, provided with a shield adapted to rest against the said back, and having turned ends protruding through the said shield and adapted to rest in the said depressions E and F, substantially as described.

HORACE B. ROBINSON.

Witnesses:

GEORGE L. WELToN, CHAS. F. MAsT. 

